Beltrami sweeps AHDC trots

WILKES-BARRE, Pa.— Tony Beltrami went down the road and powered first over to win both $10,000 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Trot on Sunday (June 15) at Pocono Downs.

Beltrami delivered 5-2 third choice All Rise to victory with a front-stepping 1:57.1 effort in the first AHDC Trot. Clearing the lead from post 5, All Rise cut a sensible clip of :28, :57.4 and 1:27 before getting confronted by any challengers. Keystone Thunder (driven by Joe Lee) tried to apply pressure first over, but spun for home evenly while others narrowed in on the leader. All Rise clung to a diminishing lead and maintained command to the beam to win by a neck over 8-5 favorite Hunters Gal (Yogi Sheridan), who rallied from second over for second. Lionhead (Frank Tsipouras) closed for third and Steel (Tony Ciuffetelli), off a pocket trip, finished fourth.

ALL RISE REPLAY

Deborah Daguet trains All Rise, an 8-year-old gelding by Conway Hall, for owner Tony Beltrami. He paid $7.80 to win.

A few races later, Beltrami returned to the winner’s circle after surviving a parked mile on the rim with Just The Facts, who snagged a slim win in 1:56.3. Just The Facts marched forward while wide from fourth through a :28.3 first quarter to press new leader Town Victor (Yogi Sheridan), who circled to the top passing the grandstand. Town Victor cut a :58.1 half and quickened up the backstretch to three-quarters in 1:26.3 before levelling off in the homestretch. Just The Facts continued clawing forward on the outside and grabbed the lead in the lane while withstanding a late push from 23-1 shot Mamy Wata (Paul Minore) to win by a head. Gatsby (Steven Reisenweaver) sat a pocket trip for third while Town Victor, the 6-5 favorite, settled for fourth.

Jamie Morgan trains Just The Facts, a 6-year-old gelding by Explosive Matter, for owner JML Racing LLC. He paid $9 to win.

JUST THE FACTS REPLAY

Earlier in the afternoon, Harrah’s Philadelphia hosted two $7,500 AHDC Pace divisions. And though he just missed in the evening’s trotting action, Yogi Sheridan started Sunday’s AHDC events with a 1:53.2 blowout with 1-9 shot Shore Of Himself. Sheridan fired down the highway through a clip of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:24 before drawing away to a 7-3/4-length victory over A Stud Named Sam (Raymond Burt), who grabbed second from pocket-chaser Fred’s Night (Frank Tsipouras). Walts Natty Datty (Vincent Gargano) closed from last for fourth.

Yogi Sheridan trains Shore Of Himself, a 7-year-old gelding by Western Shore, for owner Beverly Schiffman. He paid $2.20 to win.

Geovany Hernandez won the other AHDC Pace with a pocket-popping score by 3-2 favorite Phelgon in a 1:55 mile. Hernandez yielded to Farmers Beach (Yogi Sheridan) after that one launched from post 8 to take the lead past a :28.1 first quarter. Farmers Beach coasted through middle fractions of :57.3 and 1:26 but failed to accelerate turning for home. Hernandez hoisted Phelgon forward and just held the win as first-over Western Bayama (Frank Tsipouras) kicked home for second. Gemini Express (Raymond Burt) finished third off a ground-saving trip and Farmers Beach took fourth.

Geovany Hernandez owns and trains Phelgon, a 7-year-old mare by Rockin Image. She paid $5 to win.

AHDC action resumes next Sunday (June 22) with pacing divisions scheduled at Harrah’s Philadelphia and trotting divisions scheduled at Pocono Downs. First-race post time at Harrah’s Philadelphia is 12:40 p.m. (EDT) and 6 p.m. (EDT) at Pocono.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ray Cotolo, for the AHDC